Taste Test, Edition #5: Mitch Bradford, Mary-Elaine Jenkins & more

Welcome to Taste Test, a review wrangling of SubmitHub-only gemstones.

“Everybody Got Someone to Love ‘Cept You & Me (Mimetic Desire)” by Mitch Bradford

Heartbreak’s got him all shook up. Weary and wandering, Mitch Bradford yearns for that one last stolen embrace, a last kiss to tide him over, as he passes from love-struck to heart-torn. The guitar leaps in between pecks of piano and the percussion’s hopeful wink. While it’s evident he’s broken, he makes a concerted effort to cherish the afterglow, even if it is fading as fast as the sun.

“Old Love” by Danny Golden

Americana troubadour Danny Golden unlocks the spirituality of romance on “Old Love,” making references to communion and employing harmony work in gospel-baked layers. His voice echoes as if wailing on the altar of some towering cathedral of stone before he flies away into the stratosphere. It’s a show stopping performance to be sure and one that builds slowly but thoughtfully, zipping from a prayer-like confessional to a rallying cry.

“Youth” by Harlequin Gold

There’s a lot riding on a debut single: you have to leave enough of an impression to set yourself apart but be accessible to warrant attention. Sisters Elle and Avery O’Brien strike out with a rhythmic bow that combs alternative, classically-filtered pop and indie-rock, resulting in an elixir both of hearty stock and awe-inspiring acrobatics. It’s crafty in composition, delivery and mood ⎯⎯ it goes down with a sting but ends with a sweet aftertaste.

“Iggy” by Mary-Elaine Jenkins

Iggy Pop fulfills every animalistic urge we’ve ever had. He’s audacious and outrageously free in his skin. So, when it comes to Mary-Elaine Jenkins’ dedication to the icon with a song aptly titled “Iggy,” there is an expectation of the same. The rock ‘n roller has a voice that belongs in another decade, oozing ’70s grooviness with a contemporary flair for a big hook, and no matter the cost, she’s unapologetically honest about her desire be his “sweet 16, even though I’m almost 29.” Sliced with humor, “Iggy” wiggles across the eardrums in funkadelic fashion.

“Need You, Need Me” by Ah-Mer-Ah-Su

Hold onto your wigs, gurls, we are blessed with the presence of Ah-Mer-Ah-Su, and we are not worthy. “Need You, Need Me,” a piece of delicious pop cake, is the anthem to end all anthems. After breaking away from an abusive relationship, which not only physically bound her to her man but nearly suffocated her, she finds strength in the music, the synths breathing new life into her lungs. The weight of the lyrics scatter across a hook so big, you’ll not only be reenergized but soothed to live your best life.

“Sullenblue” by Loom:ngs

Singer Zola Johnson sharpens her nails and goes for the throat. “Sullenblue,” beaten with open-fisted beats and electronic warbles, thanks to producer Daniel Loumpouridis’ sound-bending globe trotting, finds Johnson reclaiming her life. “You are not my cage,” she sings on loop, as if a record just skipped. The atmosphere is cavernous, giving the production as much room as possible to expand and deflate and expand again. It’s exhilarating.

“Stroller” by Tunnelview

The world is a mangled, bloody, tragic mess. And electronic duo Tunnelview remind us to hold onto love and those around us with as much strength as we can possibly muster. “Don’t go acting crazy / We’ll get through it all,” Bradley Peters signs off, a decidedly powerful missive that insists we think, breathe and remain calm, if we can help it. Along with producer Zachary Thomas, the pair extract the mayhem of the world into the song’s bright but contrasting layers, providing a moment of catharsis as the listener makes sense of the world and their place in it.

“My Father” by Mercury Blonde

The cymbals come in waves and lap against the piano and guitar, an almost God-like rite of passage. Lead singer Zach Sarapas relinquishes his burden, plopping all his pain and worries onto the ground, but his performance is rich, admirable and empowering. “Told me once, ‘Don’t be afraid. Don’t lose your mind,'” he offers sage nuggets of wisdom, passing the torch from his father and instilling the listener with a lesson of integrity and compassion. The performance, an honest display of true faith in a higher power, is quite enveloping and moves along at a brisk, light pace. Dear listen, even if you don’t believe (yet), you might soon.

“Hold On” by Caezar

Breakups can be tough, but being caught in some otherworldly limbo, wrestled to the dirt by your own feelings, can be far worse. Electro-pop trio Caezar lose themselves in the stunningly sharp disco light of a newly disconnected romance, and by the light of the dance floor, they come closer to their feelings in a surprisingly twisted way. “I tried to break out of it, but I broke your heart,” reads a vital lyric that shakes down to the bone. It’s that kind of punch and brashness that leaves you completely breathless ⎯⎯ but wanting even more.

“Rolling Back to You” by Altameda

Likening their heart to a wheel, folk-rock group Altameda can’t help how they feel. As the saying goes, “The heart wants what the heart wants.” As the troupe dials in on grainy ’60s and early-70s indie-rock and folk music, courtesy of the Byrds and Bob Dylan, a craft later broiled to perfection by the Eagles and Linda Ronstadt, horns swoop in from the ceiling and plop on your shoulder. Along with harmonies in the spirit of throwback soul, a style at which they clearly excel, they’re celebrating the past as much as pushing the needle forward. The culmination of style, swagger and musicianship is hypnotic.

Photo Credit: Kendall Rock (middle) / 

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